Immigration and border management

The activities conducted in this area are directed at helping Member States to create policy, legislation and administrative structures, operational systems and a human resources base capable of responding effectively to diverse migration challenges and to appropriately institute migration governance. The objective involves both fighting against the smuggling of migrants and its related crimes, and promoting border management systems and regular channels for dignified, safe and orderly migration. Such activities are conceived based on the needs identified by Member States with the Immigration and Border Management Team and in collaboration with other relevant actors, for the sake of identifying priority areas and contributing the most adequate solutions based on the context of each country or region.

Current priorities include the following:

• Reducing irregular migration and smuggling of migrants
• Supporting countries so that they may promote regular migration channels and access to legal identity
• Strengthening integrated border management focusing on protecting the rights of migrants
• Fostering international cooperation and sharing of data
• Harmonising national and regional policies and practices with a view to having common international standards.

The Immigration and Border Management Team provides assistance to Member States to shape their immigration and border management policies, and supports their implementation by relevant agencies. This work implies a whole range of comprehensive and consistent activities, which are interconnected and reinforce each other:

• Regularisation
• Readmission
• MIDAS: a comprehensive and affordable border management information system management
• Passenger data (API/PNR)
• Border and migration management assessments
• Border and migration management for development and trade
• Border security
• Integrated border management
• Border and migration management policy
• Maritime security and border management
• Counter-migrant smuggling
• Community policing
• Travel document inspection
• Traveller identification management
• Humanitarian border management
• Gender and border management
• Migrant detention and alternatives to detention
• Migration data management, intelligence and risk analysis
• Family reunification for the benefit of all
• IOM visa policy support
• Family assistance programme
• Technology in support of family reunification
• IOM visa application centres
• IOM verification solutions
• Consular support and citizen services